Land-torpedo.



A. MUST.

LAND TORPEYDO. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1916.

Patented Mar. lb, 191?.

h .HUST, 0F STE. AGATHE DES HONTS, QUEBEC, CANADA.

Lama-rename.

Lamaze.

followin is a full, clear, and exact description of t e same. 1

' The invention relates to improvements in land torpedoes as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel means employed whereby a destructive explosive member can be directed and controlled from the works of an army and carry devastation to the works of the enemy.

The objects of the invention are to devise a munition of war that will destroy barbed wire entanglements and clear the approach for an attacking party and generally to provide an efiicient agent of destruction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing a soldier directing the course of a torpedo across the intervening space between trenches to a wire entanglement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the torpedo.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line A-B in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line *CD in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the device.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view showing a means-of steering the torpedo.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, the shell 1 contains explosives and destructive agents and preferably is pointed at the front end and.

at the rear is rounded off to the base of the reduced end 2.

The shields 3 project downwardly and preferably flare outwardly from. the shell 1 at each side and form the armor protection for the running gear and at the lower ends of the shell amongobstacles.

The In 5 extend downwardly from the under si e of the shell and form bearings Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented! Mar. as, was.

' Application filed February 19,1916. serial No. 79, 83.

for theaxle 6 of the running gear, the wheels 7 being flexibly mounted at the ends as in motor cars.

The blade 8 is rigidly secured on top of the shell for the purpose of cutting wire obstacles that the machine may run under.

The propelling part of the machine is,

formed of a casing 9 cup-shaped at its forward end 10 and having a central recess for the reduced end 2 of the shell 1, said end 2 being flexibly held in by the springs 11 or in any other suitable Way to form a flexible joint capable of resiliently resuming its normal position and avoid dragging of the front or rear parts.

The shields 12 similar to the shields 3 pro-. ject downwardly from the casing 9, also the lugs '13, the latter forming bearings for the driven axle 14 carrying the wheels 15 at the outer ends thereof.

The motor 16 is operatively connected to the axle 14 and drives the torpedo and is controlled by'the soldier from the switch box 17, said machine dragging the wire, properly paid out, behind it. s

The direction of travel of the machine is controlled by the lines 18, which may be operated by hand or steering device attached to the switch box, said lines being paid out as the machine proceeds on its way.

The lamp 19 is placed in a recess in the rear end of the casing 10, so that theoperator will always know where the torpedo is heading to.

The operation may be readily understood from the illustration and description, as the torpedo is started from the trench by the operator for the enemys-trench or wire entanglements therebefore and travels across the intervening distance in very quick order and on the way accommodates itself to the unevenness of the ground by the flexibility of the explosive and driving parts in relation to one another.

As soon as the machine reaches the desired place, the operator by means of a switch in his switch box electrically explodes the shell 1, with the result that all Works within reach are devastated and the Way cleared for the approach of the infantry.

What I claim is A four wheeled truck having the front frame supper-ted on wheels flexibly connected to its rear frame similarly supported,

, said rear frame carrying. an electric equipment operativelv connected to the rear and driven wheels and said front frame carrying a shell adapted to contain explosives electrically ignited from said equipment and forming the forward body of the vehicle adapted to be driven toward an obstacle, an electric switch mechanism apart from the vehicle and trailing Wires electrically conmeeting said switch mechanism and said electric equipment.

Signed at Montreal, this seventh day of September, 1915.

ABRAHAM M USI. 

